super_grass:ghare: fark this asshole. The retirement age WAS raised, back in the 80s, because it ain't like people just noticed the baby boomers.Stop raiding SS and Medicare, fark, LOWER it. Get old people out of the workforce, get new ones in.

Then you'd have people complaining about how grandpa lost his job, and how the company was evil for replacing him with some young hire who cost half as much.

"Social Security wasn't devised to be a system that supported you for a 30-year retirement after a 25-year career."as someone who's looking at another 41 years until retirement I'd like to know where this number came from?

Whenever I hear of someone raising the retirement age, I always got to wonder, will they make a distinction between types of jobs? Jobs that involve brutal, backbreaking labor (coal mining, oil drilling) are going to take a bigger toll on the body than the job of your average cubicle jockey.

This guy doesn't appreciate the problem. I have no complaint about my retirement. I'm getting a little change from SS, I have accumulated some property, I'm fine. And I AM bored, and piddling around doing handyman jobs and shiat isn't essential - and I'd be happy to re-enter the workplace. But who in their right mind would hire me? Sure, I know my shiat and can do the job - for the 3 years I'll be working. Why the f**k would anybody bother to integrate me into their framework for that brief reward? And anyway - aren't there like a million kids that just got out of college who NEED F**KING JOBS?Screw you, ass-face poopy-head man.

ghare:super_grass: ghare: fark this asshole. The retirement age WAS raised, back in the 80s, because it ain't like people just noticed the baby boomers.Stop raiding SS and Medicare, fark, LOWER it. Get old people out of the workforce, get new ones in.

Then you'd have people complaining about how grandpa lost his job, and how the company was evil for replacing him with some young hire who cost half as much.

Now you just have another burden on society.

How is letting Grandpa take retirement early making him lose his job?

Because grandpa might still want or need it a bit longer so he can save up more money for his retirement? You use the word "let", but in reality it can be "make".

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

Means testing will save very little money - there aren't that many rich people and SS already has a low maximum benefit. Means testing will also make SS more demonizable since not everyone will receive benefits.

cashdaddy:Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

MemeSlave:No, the problem is that old people need to die, and poor people need to stop farking. We've had enormous technological improvements, but are still breeding like rabbits and living too long. Things were great in the halcyon 50s and 60s because old people died and left their assets to the next generation, and there weren't so many stupid white trash breeding like rabbits. Then came the Great Society, and the game where nobody loses (sort of the 4th Edition D&D of the Real World) and now we're all saddled with their stupid choices.

Silly Jesus:cashdaddy: Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

ghare:super_grass: ghare: fark this asshole. The retirement age WAS raised, back in the 80s, because it ain't like people just noticed the baby boomers.Stop raiding SS and Medicare, fark, LOWER it. Get old people out of the workforce, get new ones in.

Then you'd have people complaining about how grandpa lost his job, and how the company was evil for replacing him with some young hire who cost half as much.

Now you just have another burden on society.

How is letting Grandpa take retirement early making him lose his job?

Because they don't retire you... they fire you or lay you off... no benefits. That's how the bean counters save money.

cashdaddy:Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

cashdaddy:Silly Jesus: cashdaddy: Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

unyon:He's right. The 65 year retirement age was implemented when average life expectancy was... 69. It seems reasonable that the age move up, in a methodical way, allowing approaching retirees to adjust to the new reality.

Nothing is stopping anyone from putting away bank and retiring whenever you want. For many people, not being able to work past 65 is what will condemn them to a retirement of poverty.

The age has to go up. It's irresponsible of anyone to deny that demographic changes are affecting SS that need to be adjusted for. Life expectancy is higher, and the ratio of working age people/retirees has shrunk and will continue to shrink as the population ages.

Silly Jesus:cashdaddy: Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

But please, go on about the poors.....

You sound like one of the poors.

You sound like you are reminding me why I have you farkied as "Confirmed Troll: Disingenuous Moron who hates the poor"

Silverstaff:Silly Jesus: cashdaddy: Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

But please, go on about the poors.....

You sound like one of the poors.

You sound like you are reminding me why I have you farkied as "Confirmed Troll: Disingenuous Moron who hates the poor"

Testiclaw:Because only a handful of years should be spent enjoying the world without slaving away at a job.

That's college, right?

Just what we need. A finite number of jobs, being fought over by even more people. Companies are reluctant to hire ages 55 and up now, how will they handle 70 year olds applying? Will technology advancement slow, because 68 year olds aren't as familiar with tech - the savvy, computer literate 68 year old is few and far between, and they probably had a grasp of computers since their 40s (i.e. they know more than Facebook for their grandkids' pictures). What will this do for the younger generations.

Maybe we should restructure work expectations. For instance, work physical labor until 40, then desk jobs from 41-retirement.

Wonder what the world will look like when parts of your work force have active dementia, or Alzheimer's.

Diogenes:Lionel Mandrake: Diogenes: BLANKFEIN: You can look at history of these things, and Social Security wasn't devised to be a system that supported you for a 30-year retirement after a 25-year career

I'm retiring in 5 years and no one told me?

Apparently the average American goes to work at 40 and lives to be 95.

who knew?

I'm all for privatization of Social Security. One two conditions:

1) I get all my contributions to date refunded, with interest.

2) I get to chose with whom I invest that money (no "government-approved funds only" bullshiat).

I think that's only fair, and is truly privatized.

And then we get to watch the people in large age cohorts all wonder why their investments are tanking just when they need to draw then out. It's almost like selling to get your cash out forces prices down.

Cute line, but it is not true if you're talking about the US (the scope of a discussion on US Social Security). The US birth rate dropped below replacement level about half a decade ago. There is the phenomenon of population momentum (basically life expectancy increases continue to increase population for a while), but the home born US population is on a shrinking trajectory.

Silly Jesus:Silverstaff: Silly Jesus: cashdaddy: Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

But please, go on about the poors.....

You sound like one of the poors.

You sound like you are reminding me why I have you farkied as "Confirmed Troll: Disingenuous Moron who hates the poor"

Duck_of_Doom:A finite number of jobs, being fought over by even more people.

Or, you know, people could work less - more leisure time, share the jobs, enjoy life. Isn't it odd how a world where 99% of the shiat work is done by robots is seen as a horrific hell hole rather than the reality of being closer to utopia? Of course, it's blasphemy to suggest that everyone benefit from the incredible wealth produced in such a world rather than literally just a few dozen lucky sods who own the robots.

cashdaddy:Silly Jesus: Silverstaff: Silly Jesus: cashdaddy: Silly Jesus: This is now the libtard relationship with the evil rich

Even when they point out basic math and obvious facts, they are evil.

Cry moar, poors.

Yeah, you're a troll, and a waste of one, at that. "Poors"? Wow, big daddy Warbucks, I bet you impress everyone in the Internet these days.

Something tells me that you're still in your 20's, driving an old 'n busted '82 Celica, hanging out with a couple of friends at the gas station each weekend and talking about how you're each going to get out of the shiattown that you live in now, but 0bama is holding you down...

But please, go on about the poors.....

You sound like one of the poors.

You sound like you are reminding me why I have you farkied as "Confirmed Troll: Disingenuous Moron who hates the poor"

I dunno, is he that wrong? It's not evil to succeed in America and the math seems relatively sound, ya know?

I plan to retire around 55ish, depending on how our retirement savings go and what we feel like doing. About 11 years to go, hopefully. That feels like a fark of a long time but on the other hand, if I had to work another 20 or 25 years from now I'd probably put a bullet in my head. And I really like my job!

Just print the farking money. Yeah, yeah scary hyper inflation blah blah. Probably not going to happen unless there is a sudden scarcity in supply, which social security payments wouldn't create anywhere near enough demand to do.

Surpheon:Duck_of_Doom: A finite number of jobs, being fought over by even more people.

Or, you know, people could work less - more leisure time, share the jobs, enjoy life. Isn't it odd how a world where 99% of the shiat work is done by robots is seen as a horrific hell hole rather than the reality of being closer to utopia? Of course, it's blasphemy to suggest that everyone benefit from the incredible wealth produced in such a world rather than literally just a few dozen lucky sods who own the robots.

4 4 40

Four hours a day/four days a week/40 weeks a year.

Fark being alive on this planet and spending the entire time punching the clock for some arbitrary occupation.

SmartestFunniest2012-11-20 05:01:35 PMHe's right. The 65 year retirement age was implemented when average life expectancy was... 69. It seems reasonable that the age move up, in a methodical way, allowing approaching retirees to adjust to the new reality.

Nothing is stopping anyone from putting away bank and retiring whenever you want. For many people, not being able to work past 65 is what will condemn them to a retirement of poverty.

Actually the average life expectancy when SS was implemented with an effective age of 65 was 61.7 years. In other words, Roosevelt's plan was for most workers to pay into the program and die before they collected anything--that's what made it actuarially sound. The equivalent today would be for the retirement age and SS effective age of about 82. Since that's simply not practical for most jobs, the program will need considerable subsidies by the time most of us on FARK retire.

Actually, if you read that Salon article that was linked above, you'll see that 62 year life expectancy includes a ton of deaths from childhood illnesses - people who neither pay into nor collect from SS and so are irrelevant. Reducing childhood deaths is the source of most of our life expectancy gains.

Surpheon:Or, you know, people could work less - more leisure time, share the jobs, enjoy life. Isn't it odd how a world where 99% of the shiat work is done by robots is seen as a horrific hell hole rather than the reality of being closer to utopia?

A wonderful, if fanciful notion. Cutting work hours, for an hourly worker, means cutting wages. I'm forseeing a future where everyone in lower tax brackets works multiple part-time jobs. No need for a company to offer benefits, as the workforce is part-time. You can go from one job right to the next, and you would end up working more than 40 hours a week. The added psychological benefit is what you said - the illusion of working less. Why become something white collar, with the horrible hours?

Of course, it's blasphemy to suggest that everyone benefit from the incredible wealth produced in such a world rather than literally just a few dozen lucky sods who own the robots.

Surpheon:Only if you're very stupid. Cut SS benefits by 25% and it is stable for the forseeable future (we're talking over 50 years). That's math as obvious as 2+2=4.

Are you aware of the fact that some people's benefits are in the neighborhood of $600, 700, 800 per month? A 25% cut would drive them into dumpster diving for dog food. That is, unless you're talking about cuts for people with bigger benefits.